Destiny Fan Art - Mountain of Secrets
As a Destiny fan and avid player, I have always wanted to create and design my own raid. This is an ongoing project that has many secrets yet to be explored.
My main goal for this project was to imagine myself working on designing a raid for Destiny and understanding what logistically goes into it plus expanding areas of my portfolio to new heights.
Mountain of Secrets - Raid Entrance
This raid takes place on Nessus, as one day parts of the clouded horizon clear revealing a colossal mountain hidden there. Inside contains the secrets of an alternate version of a race called the Vex. A fireteam of six guardians bands together to discover its secrets from within.
First Encounter - The Vault Door
To enter the raid, a fireteam of six guardians will load into the patrol zone at the base of the mountain discovering a path leading up to a hole in the mountain with common vex frozen in stone.
The first encounter involves opening the Vault Door, which was sealed an unknown amount of time ago for unknown reasons.
The objective of the first encounter is to simply open the Vault Door.
Initial thumbnails for the Vault Door and Portal
These are the initial thumbnails for both the Vault Door and Portals. My goal for these was to take elements of common Vex tropes with also combining nature and a sense of early prototyping for this alternate version of Vex set pieces.
The Codelock Box
To open the Vault Door, players will use a device called the Codelock box. This will function as the key and be used to insert the correct combination into the lock.
Players will collect four symbols from high within the mountain to then insert into the Codelock box and start the decoding phase.
The Tumblebox
This is the Tumblebox, which essentially functions as the lock. This device takes the combination inserted into the Codelock box and unlocks certain blockers when the code is correct.
This device ultimately blocks the energy beam from reaching the master box on the Vault Door.
When the correct combination is relayed, the energy beam will pulsate allowing the Tumblebox to recognize a correct combination and lift one of its blockers.
Initial Thumbnails for the Codelock Box and Tumblebox
For the Codelock box, I wanted something that the players would have to interact with and keep their eyes on for the majority of the encounter.
For the Tumblebox, I initially wanted this device to be inserted into a Vex block and used as a deposit box for the correct combination. Ultimately I decided to simplify things and stick to a more traditional pin-tumbler system.
Portal and Portal Plate
Navigating the first encounter will take a bit more than just running around. Players will have to use the various portals and plates for the majority of the encounter.
While an earlier prototype of the commonly used Vex portals that exist in the world of Destiny today, these function fairly similarly with an alternate design.
Throughout the encounter, players will come across various symbols of which will need to collect certain ones to then insert into the codelock box.
How the Raid Works
Codemaster Buff
After the Codelock Box armor is shot off, the encounter will begin. Two players will stand on the platforms adjacent to the Codelock Box and receive the Codemaster buff.
This buff, and can only be used when standing on that relative plate, which will be used to locate which portal to enter when collecting the symbols. It will also be used to locate which portal is NOT lit up during the combination phase.
Portal
To activate the portal, similar to how they are currently used, a player must stand on the platform. The plate will slowly decline until the portal is lit.
When a player steps off the portal, the plate will slowly rise back up to its original position. This will cause the portal to deactivate.
In addition, the portal will include a symbol on top of it. This symbol will be important for the runner to remember once they enter the portal room.
The Portal Room
Entering the correct portal will teleport the player to the portal room. There will be three paths to take but only the middle one will progress the encounter.
Once reaching the middle, the player will encounter two obelisks each with a symbol.
The player must recognize which symbol was on the portal, then move towards the side of the opposite symbol.
Once this is determined, the player will move towards that symbol's pathway where a vex will be standing. This Vex must be killed and upon its death, the player will receive that symbol. The player will then leave the portal room through the portal they entered.
This must be repeated until each player on either side has a symbol.
Entering the Combination
When four symbols have been collected, the holders of those symbols run back to the middle and insert their symbols into the Codelock Box.
Once this occurs the combination phase will begin. Both Codemasters will look at their respective portals. Only one side of portals will light up at a time.
When a side's portals are lit, the Codemaster must recognize which portal is NOT lit and relay which direction the symbol holders need to move.
Refer to the Portal Rotation Key for the correct rotation callouts.
Various Thumbnails and Exploration for Mountain of Secrets Raid
Alternative Vex Variations
In addition to differences in architecture and runic behavior, the Vex's design has also been altered.
While keeping a similar shape, this alternate version of the Vex has engrained more naturalistic elements into its skeleton with their experiments.
I also wanted to explore a version where the Vex isn't something that came out of nowhere and instead are just evolved Exo's. This is a concept I am still exploring and might show up again within this raid concept.
Vault Door Keyframe Image
I had this idea pop into my head one day while brainstorming what my designed raid might look like.
The sketch to the left was the initial idea I had for the Vault Door and the overall aesthetics of the raid.
Above is that vision more realized and thought through.
Below are my initial ideas for the Vault Door encounter plus the initial thumbnails I did after I had thought out the mechanics of the raid a bit more. Again this was still early on in the experimental phase with some layout pieces that eventually did make it.
Mountain and Entrance to Raid
These are some various explorations for the look of the mountain and the entrance for the raid.
Below are the final concepts for the patrol area the fireteam will load into upon launching the raid plus entrance to the raid and a concept of the mountains look.
Entrance to the Raid
Mountain of Secrets Concept
Initial Mood Board
